Chief minister Mamata Banerjee inaugurated the 13th edition of the Kolkata Christmas Festival at Allen Park late this afternoon. It will continue till 30 December where cultural programmes will be held daily.

The festival has been organised by the state Tourism department. Miss Banerjee, speaking at the gathering, urged people to live happily and peacefully which is the teaching of Jesus Christ. Miss Banerjee said: “Like in the past I will attend the mid night mass.

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My ministers will attend the mass in different areas. I go to attend functions of the Hindus, Muslims and Christians as I love all the ceremonies. Park Street has been illuminated along with Bow Barracks. The areas surrounding St. Pauls Cathedral will be illuminated,” she said. Miss Banerjee said the churches in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Krishnagar and Bandel will be lit up.

“Since we came to power in 2011, we have been celebrating the Kolkata Christmas Festival in Allen Park. Look at the surrounding places, they look so nice,” she remarked, adding: “Speak for unity, work for unity and love for unity.” Miss Banerjee also announced payment of 4 per cent dearness allowance of the state government employees,“This is our Christmas gift to the state government employees. The pensioners will be benefitted.

It will be implemented from 1 January, 2024,” she said. Miss Baerjee named a stretch of water body along Kazi Nazrul Islam Sarani that has been developed as Jhillika. She inaugurated it virtually. She virtually inaugurated a zoo at Garchumuk in Howrah district and thanked the state forest department for doing an excellent job.

She inaugurated the Bishnupur Mela and spoke about the long tradition of the area. “Bishnupur is famous for the Terracotta temples, Baluchari Sari that has got GI tag, vocal classical music of Bishnupur gharana”. She inaugurated a tourism complex at Muruguma and laid the foundation stone of the development of the surrounding areas of Debanandapur, the birth place of author Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay.

“Rest assured in the not too distant future, Devbanandapur will come up on a tourism map of the state. A sum of Rs 1.10 crore will be spent for the purpose,” she said.